New Camera, expected more

[Colin Southern]

Oh my gosh, it's lovely and what a perfect name!! I found you on facebook too Colin, wow, I am just so blown away by your work!

OK - you can stay

[MrB]

Hello Denise.

You now have some descriptions of the basics of photography, but you also need to think about them in relation to your camera. If you have the same user manual as the one available online from Fuji, the following pages will help, so read these a few times first:

P.48 - Have you found this yet? You can see on your camera's screen all the settings for any of the photos you have already taken and stored on its SD memory card.

P.74-5 Set the ISO - set it to 100 and only increase it when light is very dim (high values can produce "noise" - a grainy speckly effect in the image).

P.26-9 The shooting modes that give you control. You could start getting away from Auto by setting the Mode Dial to P mode, and watch what happens to the aperture and shutter speed when you apply "Program Shift".

P.44-5 Exposure compensation - increasing or decreasing the exposure when the lighting is more difficult (e.g. coming from behind the subject).

When you have read these pages covering basic camera control, just go and practise, practise, practise using your camera - apart from the electric power, it costs nothing to take lots of pictures to see how they are affected by the controls. After each experimentation and learning process, you can simply delete all those pictures that you don't want to keep.

Cheers.
Philip

Link to owner's manual - http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digi..._manual_01.pdf

[Colin Southern]

Super interesting info jc! Yes, I had that center, "extra" column raised so I could have the camera at eye level with me. The photos I posted here weren't taken using the tripod but yes, again, it is not an expensive, professional one at all. I think it was 10 bucks.

I wouldn't be too concerned about using the centre column in the raised position. Yes - it's often written that doing this decreases stability, but one needs to keep that in perspective; if it's a really windy day - and the camera can be seen moving around in the breeze - and you have a relatively slow shutterspeed than yes it might have an effect - but if the camera appears still and you have a reasonably fast shutterspeed then it probably won't make a lot of difference.

Basically, the longer the exposure the more stable the camera needs to be -- case in point -- some of my shots involve up to 40 MINUTE exposure - or working in gale-force winds (see below) - and for that - yes - for sure - you don't want to be using centre columns, but if it's basically just a temp "steady hand" then I wouldn't be too concerned.





We had a fun thread on tripods a while back - you might like to have a look through ...

Best Tripod and head for stability

[captivating]

I feel I have found a real treasure on the internet in this site Ty again, Denise

[Soozie B]

Hi again Denise,

You are learning fast and well I see. Way to go, and I'm happy you are having fun.

Thanks for the kind words regarding my Flickr account. I still have almost as much as you to learn as well. But I agree, this is super fun and is the best hobby/past time/obsession ever lol

[captivating]

It is the best and most fun hobby I have ever had. I got heavy into taking shots about 2 years ago with my little Kodak. Then I wanted to do more but couldn't find the time. Now I am "into" it again and yes, learning lots! Way fun See you soon, Denise

Hi again Denise,

You are learning fast and well I see. Way to go, and I'm happy you are having fun.

Thanks for the kind words regarding my Flickr account. I still have almost as much as you to learn as well. But I agree, this is super fun and is the best hobby/past time/obsession ever lol

[captivating]

Yes, I have an online manual and a hardcopy Phillip, but thank you for pointing out these pages. Definitely yes on the practice I will do that!! Looking so forward to a whole day I can just go out and take photos One is coming up here soon Denise

Hello Denise.

You now have some descriptions of the basics of photography, but you also need to think about them in relation to your camera. If you have the same user manual as the one available online from Fuji, the following pages will help, so read these a few times first:

P.48 - Have you found this yet? You can see on your camera's screen all the settings for any of the photos you have already taken and stored on its SD memory card.

P.74-5 Set the ISO - set it to 100 and only increase it when light is very dim (high values can produce "noise" - a grainy speckly effect in the image).

P.26-9 The shooting modes that give you control. You could start getting away from Auto by setting the Mode Dial to P mode, and watch what happens to the aperture and shutter speed when you apply "Program Shift".

P.44-5 Exposure compensation - increasing or decreasing the exposure when the lighting is more difficult (e.g. coming from behind the subject).

When you have read these pages covering basic camera control, just go and practise, practise, practise using your camera - apart from the electric power, it costs nothing to take lots of pictures to see how they are affected by the controls. After each experimentation and learning process, you can simply delete all those pictures that you don't want to keep.

Cheers.
Philip

Link to owner's manual - http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digi..._manual_01.pdf

[captivating]

Wow, my friend Suzanne is back in the path of Storm Sandy right now, NE Pennsylvania. She is trying to take some photos too. Her and I are both storm lovers of course we don't want the kind that damage people's property or kill them either But a windy day, rain, snow, I love all the seasons! I do love that second photo, gorgeous in Black and White, wow! I printed out instructions on how to get the "headlight" trails as I live right on I-5 and would love to try that someday denise

I wouldn't be too concerned about using the centre column in the raised position. Yes - it's often written that doing this decreases stability, but one needs to keep that in perspective; if it's a really windy day - and the camera can be seen moving around in the breeze - and you have a relatively slow shutterspeed than yes it might have an effect - but if the camera appears still and you have a reasonably fast shutterspeed then it probably won't make a lot of difference.

Basically, the longer the exposure the more stable the camera needs to be -- case in point -- some of my shots involve up to 40 MINUTE exposure - or working in gale-force winds (see below) - and for that - yes - for sure - you don't want to be using centre columns, but if it's basically just a temp "steady hand" then I wouldn't be too concerned.





We had a fun thread on tripods a while back - you might like to have a look through ...

Best Tripod and head for stability

[captivating]

LOL! I may not ever be able to get anything that pretty but I sure know good photography when I see it!! Omygosh, I just noticed you are in New Zealand!! My buddy Suzanne and I were just talking about trying to visit there, it's on our "Bucket List"

OK - you can stay

[rpcrowe]

Denise,

As Colin mentioned, using a tripod is a way to cure the hand tremor problem. As I am growing ancient, I am less and less able to hand hold my cameras at slower shutter speeds. Stabilization (either in the lens or in the camera) helps somewhat but, is not a panacea for sharp imagery.

However, if you do use a tripod, it may very well be the best idea to turn off the stabilization. Some Canon in-lens Image Stabilization versions (depending on the version of IS in the lens) require you to turn off the stabilizaion because if there is no camera shake, the older versions of IS tend to deterioate the image. However, with newer versions of IS, the lens is able to detect the lack of motion and turn off the IS electronically (you don't HAVE to manually turn it off). However, Canon does recommend turning off the IS when tripod mounted to "conserve battery power." I must admit, that sometimes I do and sometimes I don't turn off the IS and have noticed no loss of battery power or deterioration of image quality in my two lenses which have the more modern version of IS.

Read your camera's user manual and see if the manufacturer recommends turning off stabilization when the camera is tripod mounted.

BTW: Another cure for a shaky grip is a monopod which is usually less expensive and lighter in weight than a tripod. It is also more portable and easier to use. You cannot use the monopod for extremely long exposures unless you practice this trick. Carry a couple of lengths of double sided one-inch Velcro material each around 2-feet long long. If you need to shoot a long exposure, find a fixed object such a a fence, parking meter, bench, etc. and secure your monopod to the object using the Velcro. Of course, you cannot find an appropriate object every place from which you want to shoot but, it is surprising how often you can use his trick. The Velcro is cheap and weighs next to nothing.

A less expensive, but not as versatile, monopod-like camera holder is a wooden walking staff with a 1/4" x 20 bolt inserted and glued into a hole drilled into the top. An advantage ot this is that you can use the staff as a walking stick when the camera is not mounted on it. You also don't have to worry about salt water corrosion if you get it wet at the beach. Of course, you can't adjust the height but what the heck, you cant have eveything.

I have not seen one of these, but it might work...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listin..._mmca2=pla&r=1

You are working with a lightweight camera so should not need a topline monopod. However, the Gitzo (usually pretty expensive) and Bogen-Manfrotto pods can sometimes be had for a decent price on eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tripods-Mono...=Monopod&rt=nc

[Colin Southern]

LOL! I may not ever be able to get anything that pretty but I sure know good photography when I see it!! Omygosh, I just noticed you are in New Zealand!! My buddy Suzanne and I were just talking about trying to visit there, it's on our "Bucket List"

Be sure to look me up if you make it to the top of the South Island - always a pleasure to meet fellow CiC members

[captivating]

Denise,

As Colin mentioned, using a tripod is a way to cure the hand tremor problem.

Morning Richard! Thank you for this and I have snipped and added it to my "tips" from CIC folder so I can save it. The monopod idea sounds brilliant and I will work on that.

Right now I was viewing the devastation Sandy has left in her path My friend is in PA but she is through the worst of it. She and her boyfriend are on Harvey's Lake and she managed to send me one photo of a down tree. So even that far inland has sustained some major damage. I've heard 10 people died in New York

ttys, denise

[jcuknz]

Denise, Not sure you got my message ... I am sure you can work it out for yourself if I just say that however steady we may think we are the fact remains that we are not, and so it is better to leave the camera untouched while it settles down on the tripod.
This seems to happen in the first two/three seconds or so but the self timer or 10 second delay is what I have. Back in my early days I was taught to wait some thirty seconds or so. The alternative to the self timer is the cable release so long as it is a long one but not many cameras have provision for the old time manual version though there are electric[?] versions .. These are perhaps five feet long though I have an additional 45ft extension lead. Some DSLRs have 'mirror lock' to hold the mirror up out of the way and avoid that movement within the body of the mirror lifting just prior to the exposure as an added precaution.
With a time exposure using the bulb or time mode [ time or T is usually not found on modern cameras as a shutter option] one can open the shutter with the lens capped to prevent light entering, lock it open with the cable release, move the cap off the camera but hold it just in front of the lens for the required period, remove for the lengthy exposure and then replace, finally close the camera shutter .... this was how I was taught
With B or bulb the trigger is pressed to open the shutter and released to close the shutter, best not done with finger on trigger but by cable.

[captivating]

Hi Jc, I am not sure which message you mean but if I miss one it's because I am doing a ton of homework today and wish I could be on here learning more. I appreciate the info in your reply and I think I know what the "cable release" is. I seem to remember seeing (especially in portrait studios) a cable that has a button on the end to press to take the photo. This way you never touch the camera. I would love one of these and will look around for something like this.

Again, I appreciate your posts and really can't thank you and the rest of the folks, enough! All I want to do is photo stuff but my business classes now have me studying the stock exchange and how the "market" works, yuck Don't ask how I got into this because I don't know. I signed up to get a degree in Medical Administrative Assistant,, LOL!! If I get good at understanding the "market" though, who knows, LOL!! Kidding, don't have any interest in "playing the market" although I have to admit this stuff is interesting the more I get into it.

ttys, denise

Denise, Not sure you got my message ... I am sure you can work it out for yourself if I just say that however steady we may think we are the fact remains that we are not, and so it is better to leave the camera untouched while it settles down on the tripod.

[Colin Southern]

Here's a little video showing a remote release in action ...



(and it's not what you'll be thinking either) (go on -- you'll love it!).

[captivating]

OMGosh, this was so great! Thank you Colin Now there's new twist on kids portraits! Geesh they were so darling especially the little gal that wouldn't quit smiling, good for herLOL!! Denise

Here's a little video showing a remote release in action ...



(and it's not what you'll be thinking either) (go on -- you'll love it!).

[jcuknz]

Just so you are not confused with what you may go after by the video which shows a Medium Format Film camera [ I think, it might have a digital back, I'm not familiar with them ] using the older type of cable release which most digital cameras these days do not have the plug hole for.

The photo shows on the left my rather ancient Canon D60 and its 'third party' release with a button which duplicates the functions of the camera trigger with 'half trigger' and full pressure to take the photo. Insert top shows the camera socket with three pins which mate with the grey plug. There is also the socket for a flash gun's cable beside it.

On the right is the Panasonic version which fits FZ30,FZ50,G3, and shown, the GH2 cameras. It has what looks to me a plug, insert right, similar to what one uses to plug headphones into a radio etc. It too duplicates the HT and full pressure of the camera trigger.


Photos taken with Olympus E-PL1 using my 50mm Takumar, syncing a YN560 with the camera's flash

[just me]

Hi Denise,

A warm friendly hello to you from South Australia.......

I think it is the best that for a little while you take photo's with the Auto setting, that way you get the feel for the camera, and then later start perhaps with the " A " setting.......
One step at a time.....

Kind regards,
Griddi......

[captivating]

Great info and pics to help me understand, thank you jc denise

Just so you are not confused with what you may go after by the video which shows a Medium Format Film camera [ I think, it might have a digital back, I'm not familiar with them ] using the older type of cable release which most digital cameras these days do not have the plug hole for.

The photo shows on the left my rather ancient Canon D60 and its 'third party' release with a button which duplicates the functions of the camera trigger with 'half trigger' and full pressure to take the photo. Insert top shows the camera socket with three pins which mate with the grey plug. There is also the socket for a flash gun's cable beside it.

On the right is the Panasonic version which fits FZ30,FZ50,G3, and shown, the GH2 cameras. It has what looks to me a plug, insert right, similar to what one uses to plug headphones into a radio etc. It too duplicates the HT and full pressure of the camera trigger.


Photos taken with Olympus E-PL1 using my 50mm Takumar, syncing a YN560 with the camera's flash

[captivating]

I completely agree Griddi, and greetings to you as well! Thank you so much Denise

Hi Denise,

A warm friendly hello to you from South Australia.......

I think it is the best that for a little while you take photo's with the Auto setting, that way you get the feel for the camera, and then later start perhaps with the " A " setting.......
One step at a time.....

Kind regards,
Griddi......